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TIIK (iOKIIAM FAMILY IN CONNECTICUT AND 
VEiniONT. 


1. Cattain .Ic)I 1 n^ Goiuia.m (son of Ralph) niarrie<l Dosha* Ilowlaiul, 
in Ki lo. (Son Rkoi.stkk, nnb-, \'ol. ')2, page .‘{oS.) 

2. .Iahkz'( ioiuiA.M (./o/(n‘), born in Harnstablo, Mass., ^Vng. 3, KioG, 
inarried widow Ilannali (Sturgis) (Jray. 

.‘J. .losKi’ii* (iuiaiAM (Jubez,- Ju/in^) i^vas born in Hristol, R. I., Ang. 
22, 1()‘.)2. lie gave a receipt, at FairliebC Conn., .Inne IG, 172o, for a 
portion of bis father’s estate. (See Rkgi.stkh, ante, \'ol. 54, page 168.) 
lie married. May 11, 1715, Abigail, <langbter of Daniel Lookwoo<l of Fair- 
Held, Conn. “ Abigail y” wife of dosepb (lorbain. Who died lamia’^^ y® 
2.‘{''. 1721-5.” (Fail-Held Inscriptions, page 16.) lie inarried second, Jan. 
lo, 1725-6, Deborah Railow. 

Children by first wife, born in Fairfiebl: 

i. Daniki.,-* 1). Nov. 10. 1717. 

ii. .Iauk/., 1). Mar. 22, 1718-0; in. Mary Conch, Nov. 27, 1752. 

iii. l.ocKWoon, I). .Jan. 1, 1720-1. 

•1. iv. IciiAHon, 1). in 1722; bapt. Jan. 31, 1724-.'j; in. Sarah Barlow ; d. in 
Uoxbury, Conn., Ang. 10, 1790, aged 77. 

Children by second wife, born in FairHeld : 

V. SiiUHAKi., b. Oct. 28, 172(!; in. Rebecca Ilurlbiirt, Jan. 21, 174(i-7. 

vi. .ViuGAin, b. Apr. 7, 1728. 

vii. Isaac, b. Nov. 14, 1730; in. .Vnn Wakeinan, July 20, 17.52. 

5. viii. Joiix,b. July 4, 1732; in. .Vbigail Wakeinan, Oct. 2, 1754. 

ix. Hannah, b. May 4, 1737. 

X. Maiiy, 1). Dec. 25, 1730. 

xi. Josicrii, b. Nov. 20, 1741; in. Marv Gray, Nov. IG, 1703. 

xii. Auigaii., b. .Apr. 7, 1744. 

“ Family Book, Green’s Farms" (Fairfield). 

4. IciiAiH)!)'' Gokham {Joseph,^ Jahezi^ John^), born in FairHeld, in 
1722, baptized Jan. Jl, 1724-5, married in Fairfield, Feb. 2, 1748-9, 
Sarah, born .Mar. 28, 1782, daughter of George Barlow. Mar. 22, 
1757, be bought a farm of seventy acres in the town of Ridgefield 
(once a part of Danbury), and sold the same, Apr. 21, 1767. lie 
removed to Roxbury, Conn., where be died Aug. 19, 1799, aged 77. 
(See Hist, of Woodbury, Vol. o, page G27.) 

Children : 

G. i. Daniki.,* b. in Fairfield, Nov., 1740. 

7. ii. Benjamin, bapt. in Fairfield, Dec. 24, 1752. 

iii. Joseph, b. in Fairfield, Dec., 1754. 

iv. PiiiNEAS, b. in Ridgelield (part of Danbury), Apr., 1757. 

8. V. Seth, b. in Danbury, Jau. 18, 17G2. (This record is from his family 

Bible.) 




4 


5. JonN^ Gorham [Joseph,^ Jahez^^ John^)^ born in F;iirlield( Green’s 
Farms), -Inly 4, 1732, married Oct. 2, 17d4, Abigail A\Aikeman. 
John,'* of New Fairfield, bought land in Kent, Conn., April 10^ 
1 781. (Land Records, Vol. 7, p. G'J.) Joseph* Gorham and Timothy 
8t. John were administrators of the estate of John^ Gorham, of 
New Milford, Jan. 13, 180(i. (Land Records, Vol. 2.) JoseplF 
Gorham, of Kent, gave (piit-claim to Jolin® and Jared,® of Vermont, 
of all his right in land on east monntain left him in the will of his 
mother Abigail Gorham, Sept. 4, 1808. (Land Records, Vol. 2, 
2 ^. 420.) John,® of Bakersfield, Vt., sold to James,® of Poultney, 
Vt., land in Kent, Oct. 2o, 1809. (Land Records, Vol. 2, j). 401.) 
Seth® Gorham, of Castleton, Vi., and wife Betsey, sold land in Kent, 
which came fi’om the estate of lier father, Eleazer Thompson. (Land 
Records, Vol. 12, p. 80.) Setli,® of Castleton, Vt., sold one seventli 
part of undivided land in Kent, Jan. 23, 1810. (Land Records, 
A"ol. 12, p. 84.) The will of Abigail Gorham, of Kent, dated Oct. 
2, 1805, and j)rohated Jan. 24, 1811, at New Milford, Conn., gave 
to her daughters Deborah, Abigail, and Lucy, all her household 
furniture, and to her sons John, James, Seth, .Jeremiah, AVakeman, 
Ilezekiah, and Joseph, all her landed estate of every description 
lying in Kent, or elsewhere. Mrs. Ella Comstock Beckham, of 
lltica, N. Y., a descendant of JohiB Gorham and his wife Abigail 
A\hd ieman, has sent the writer the following list of the children of 
JoliiB Gorham. The baptisms of the first two, Deborah® and John,® 
are at Green’s Farms. The will of the mother, Abigail Gorham, 
mentions the seventh child as Jeremiah. The Kent land records, 
under date of Se{)t. 4, 18()8 (Vol. 2, p. 420), calls the same man 
Jared, of Vermont. Airs. Beckham’s Bible list of children calls 
him Jared, and the History of Boultney, Vt., calls him .Jared. 
There were hut seven sons. 

Children: 

i. DEnoRAii,* bapt. Apr. 27, 175.">; m. Timothy St. ,Iohn. 

ii. John, bapt. June 20, 1750. 

iii. James, bapt. May 28, 1758. 

iv. Setii, bapt. June 8, 1700 ; m. Betsy Thompson. 

V. Jaueo, m. Asenath Morgan. 

vi. AVakeman, settled in Chittenden, Vt. ; in. Tolly -. 

vii. Aijigail. 

viii. AniGAiL, b. July 19, 1770; in. Solomon Comstock, June 1(1, 1788. 

ix. Hezekiau. 

X. Lucy. 

xi. Joseph, b. in 1780; m. Lucy Beecher; removed to Tenn.sylvaiiia. 

fi. Daniel® Gorham {^Jchahod,^ Joseph,^ Jahez,^ Johid), liorn in Fairfield, 
Nov., 1 749, died in Roxhury, Conn., .Jan. 25, 183G, in which year 
his estate was settled. (Woodbury, Conn., Brohate Records.) 
Alary, wife of Daniel Gorham, died in Roxhury, Conn., Jan. 31, 
1817, aged Gl. - Daniel Gorham a^jpears among the Litchfield 
County 2 :)ensioners, jilaced on the jiension roll Alay 15, 1833, age 
83. (This agrees with the record of his birth.) There is on 
record at New Alilford, Conn., an agreement between Daniel® and 
his son Daniel,® which gives the farm to the son, subject to the life 
right of the father. It has been claimed that Daniel® was the son 
of .Joseph,^ who died in Norwalk in 1760, and his wife Abigail 
Lovell, hut that Joseph’s family returned, immediately after his death. 




5 


t(j Hariistalde and Xantiicket, where four of his children married. 
1 le did have a son Daniel,® and the bust record of him was in tlie 


will of his grandfather, at liarnstahle, in 1770. The writer has 
made many researches to lind trace in Connecticut of Daniel® the .son 
of Joseph'* and Abigail (Lovell), hut witlnnit success. None of 
that family are recorded in Connecticut after 17()U. 

Children, horn in Koxbury, Conn.: 

i. .V.\l!()N.< 

ii. Ll’cv, t). Sept, l.'i, 1782; lu. .Joseph Treat, Dec. Ifi, 1800. 

iii. Daniki., b. Dec. 10. 1781; d. Dec. 2, IHO'J; m. I’olly Kaiulall. 

iv. El.I, 1). Jan. 2, 1787; d. Apr. 10, 1807; in. laetitia Hamilton. July 

0, 1811. In 1808, he was a mannfacturer of woolen machinery in 
Osweico, N. V., aiul he was the tlrst to introduce cardin'', or cloth 
dressin;', machinery into western Canada. He estalilislied a fac¬ 
tory in Newmarket, Canada, in 1809. His son Churles,^ b. Eel). 
2, 1818, m. .May 20, 18.’52, Helen Durthie .Milne; and their son, 
.liidf'c Thomas* .V. (lorliain of .Milton, Ontario, Canada, b. Nov. 2. 
18.jl, in. .Vnmibella Villiers, Nov. 20, 1 h;»:J. The writer is indebted 
to Ju(Iy:e (lorhain for some of the Ko.xbnry, Conn., notes. 

JosKiui, b. Dec. o, 1788; d. Oct. 13, 1839; m. Lydia Haight. 

Mauy, m.-IJotsford. 

Sakaii, m.-llennett. 


V. 

vi. 

vii. 
viii 


lliUA.M, d. July 31, 1820; m. Hannah I’eck. 


7. Dk.n.iamin® (lor.MAM [Ic/iabixl,* Jabez,^ horn in F.air- 

lield, Dec. 21, 17o2, married .\my Comlis, wlio died in isg'.l. lieii- 
jamin® and .Vmy (Jorham i^ieded laml in Danbury, in 17'Jlh .Vmy 
(Jorham’s estate was setthid in IttJU. 

Cldldrcn : 

i. lU’ssia.r,,* b. in Danbury, in 177.-». 

ii. Wii.i.iAM, 1). in Danburv, Jan. 3, 1779; d. in Oneonta, N. V.; m. at 

Kidgelleld, Mar. 12, 1800, Tolly Weed, b. July 1, 1784, d. Aug. 31, 
1850. Children, all Ijorn in banlmrv: 1. HfiiUon,'' b. Dec. 23, 
1800. 2. Sally, b. Dec. 30, 1804. 3.' (ieonje S., b. Oct. 4, 1807. 

4. Charles T., b. May 29, 1812; m. .Vpril 10, 183!», Charlotte K. 
Hart. He was .Vmbassador to Holland, during the administration 
of Trcsiilent (Jrant, and held many other important ofllccs. Tor 
many years lie was Tresident of the Marshall, .Michigan, Hank. 
He li. in Marshall, March, 1901. (He employed Miss Louise Tracey, 
of New Haven, Conn., to trace his line of ancestry, and some of 
her notes, as well as .some Kent, Conn., records, have been u.sed 
by the Avriter.) 5. llev. Barlow IT., b. June 24, 1814. 

iii. llinsY. 

iv. Sam.y. 

-- v. .Mauy. 

vi. KulIKCt’A. 

vii. David. 

viii. Lai’ua. 

ix. .\ mu AIL. 

X. .\my. 

8. Seth® Gorham (Ic/tahod* Joseph,^ Jabez^‘ Johd), according to his own 

family liible, was horn in Danbury, Jan. 18, 1702. The inscription 
upon his monument at West Rutland, Vt., agrees wdth the Bible 
record of his age. lie married first, Amelia Dunks, born in Dan¬ 
bury, Mar. 21), 17G3, died Oct. 17, 1841; and married second, Louisa 
Everson, in 1842. lie died Aug. 29, 1852. Aliss Charity® Gorham, 
of West Rutland, Vt., the owner of the family Bible, writes: “ My 
father Chauncey’ T. Gorham, son of Judson,® and grandson of Seth® 


% 




(j 


and Amelia (Dunks), remembers both Seth® Gorhams, and says they 
were cousins.” 

Children: 

i. Betsy,® b. Feb. 20, 1785; d. July 28, 1866. 

ii. Barlow, b. Feb. 21, 1787; d. Feb., 1883. 
ill. Deming, b. June 6, 1789; d. Nov. 14, 1861. 
iv. Eli, b. Sept. 8, 1791; d. Oct. 7, 1870. 

V. JuDSON, b. Oct. 11, 1794; d. July 30, 1877. 

vi. Alonzo, b. Aug. 15, 1801; d. May 11, 1888. 

vii. Laura, b. Aug. 9, 1804; d. Feb. 6, 1833. 


7 


[Reprinted from the New-Fingland Historical and Genealogical Register for Jan., 1905.] 

Goruvm _It liitviiig recently been stated in print that John* Gorham (atife, 

vol o2 pa-'e 358), son of Capt. John' and Desire (Howland) Gorham, acquired 
his'title of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Militia, the writer desires to show that 
he was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel of the regular f«)rces, by Colonel 
Benjamin Church, in .March 1703-4. According to a letter of n.stmctions 
written by Lieutenant-Governor Stoughton, dated Boston, .\ng. u, Cap¬ 

tain John* Gorham was second in command under the then Major Benjamin 
Church in the expedition against the French and Indians, in that year. I his i.s 
shown in the History of the Indian Wars, by Thomas Church, with Notes am 
an Apiiendix by Samuel G. Drake (second edition, 183;»), page Ll.b U e tlnd 
on pa-'es 250 and 252 of this History that Benjamin Church, who had re- 
ceived^his own commission asC’olonel from Governor DiuHcy, March 18, l i0.l-4, 
at once issued commissions to the ofllcers of his regiment, giving fl'at of 
Lieutenant-Colonel to John* Gorham. On page 2H1 we llnd the names of all of 
the Field Olllcers and Captains, under date of July 4, 1704. 

Since the writer’s notes were published in the Kkoi.stku, ante, vol. 50, pages 
32—34 the names of the olllcers and men who took part in the captuie^of Louis- 
bour*’’ have been pulilished in the Massachusetts Historical Society s Collec¬ 
tions" Sixth Series, Vol. X., Pepperrell Paper.‘<, Appendix, page 500. The olll- 
cers of the Seventh Mass. Kegiment were in part: Shubael* (.orham, Lsq., 
Colonel and Captain, 1st Companv, commissioned Feb. 20, 1(44 ; and John Gor¬ 
ham Es(i. Lieut.-Colonel and Captain, 2d Company, commissioned Feb. 20, 
1744 ’ These records show that wlien “ Captain” John^ Gorham wrote his let¬ 
ter under date of May 7, 1745, to Sir William l‘ep|)errell, he held the commis¬ 
sion of Lieutenant-Colonel of the Seventh Mass. Kegiment. Lpon the death 
of his father. Colonel Shubael* Gorham (Feb. 20, 174.5-0), he was given the 
commission of Colonel of his father’s regiment. (Usher Parsons s Life of 1 ep- 

perrell, pages 238-240.) • 1 o • * 1 i n 

Dr. Samuel A. Green, of the Massachusetts Historical Society, has kindly 
called mv attention to an interesting point, as follows: “ See 1 aige s//istory 
of Cambridfje (p. 507), near the bottom of the page, for an instance of a Major- 
general being a Captain at the same time. It was the case of Samuel Green, 
though he was no kinsman of mine.” Fr.^xk W. Sprague. 

Brookline, Mass. 










'I'liA (iurliaiii Kaiiilly. j 

[From tho Boston TranMoript.] . 

,e Uoiue of Ibo (Jorbaru family in 
istable, Mass., was built beforo 1716. ■' 

tlrst owner of it was Lieutenuit 
nel Jobu (2) Uorham, wbo married 
y Otis in 1674-6. It stands upon the 
I that belonged to bis father. Among 
many distinguished rlocondants of * 
tenant Colonel John (2) Oorhatn are , 
'anilly of the Frosident of the United 
38 , anEngliah nobleman and a baro- 3 
i’resldent Koosevelt’a wife and chil- . 

, with the cicoption of hia oldest , 
;hter (wbo is the child of his lirat ' 
’) are descended from this family in i 
following line: 

eutenant Colonel John (2) Gor- 
’h son Stephen (2) Gorhatn married * 
pbth Gardner of Nantucket; tbeir aon . 
ain Nathaniel (4) Gorham, born in 
jstable, married Mary Holey of 
rlostown, Mass., July6. 173ii, and their . 
fbter Elizebotb (5) Gorham (who was ^ 
»ter of lion. Nathaniel (5) Gorham of < 
Continental Congress), married Cap- 3 
John Leighton, and their daughter 
abeth (6) Leighton, born Hept. 22,1776. 
ried Benjamin Ixie, in Bohlon. May 
797. They lived in Cambridge, MaBs. 
ir daughter Emily (7) Lee, born in 
brlilge, Nov. 17, 1813, married Daniel 
T of Norwich, C<jnn., May 20, 1832. 

re.st of this line is given In the 
•moir of Benjamin Leo,” llaivard Col- 
Library. 

xording to liiu memoir of Benjamin ' 
by his son. Bishop Alfred Loo of 
iware. Captain John Leighton and his 
, Elizabeth (5) Uorham, had a son, 
baniel Uorham Leighton, born Feb. 1, 
and this is conllrmed by the Boston 
b records. Bishop Alfred Lee was 
cousin to the mother of Bishop 
dips Brooks. Colonel Hhubael (3) , 
bain of Barnstable bad a son Joseph 
who went with him to Louisburg, in 
. This man was in the English army 
more than forty years; ho was made 
ajor general in 1790. He took part in 
siege of Quebec and tho battle of the 
ns of Abraham. He also took part in 
capture of Havana In 1762. llis daugb 
Charlotte (5) Spry Uorham, married 
, 13, 1797, Sir John Jackson. (See 
ke’s Peerage (1901), page 816. 
iptain Sturgis (5) Gorham of Barn- 
•de. Mass., was the great-grandson of 
itenant Colonel John (2) Gorham, 
tenth child, Charlotte (6) Gorham, 
Tied Thomas Leader Harman of New 
sans. La., and their daughter, Charlotte 
ham Harman, married Oct. 26. 1839, 
iry William Eaton, First Baron 
ylesmore, of Cheylosmore, Coventry, 
rland. (Burke’s Peerage, page 315.) 

" mother, the daughter of Captain 
rgis (5) Gorham, died in Batb, Eng., .. 
!821, and she died Feb. 27, 1877.' The 
sent Lord Cheylesmore is a great- 
ndson of Captain Sturgis (5) Gorham 
Mrostable. He married July 14, 1892, 
kabeth, daughter of F. O. Frencb of 
Yo«'V’ , - 


Stephen (5) Gorham, who married Mary t; 
While, was a sou of Captain Nathaniel F 
(4) Gorham and Mary Soley. His son. 
Dr. John (6) Gorham, married Mary 
Warren, in 1808. She was the daughter 
of Dr. John Warren, who was a surgeon 
in the Revolutionary Army. Dr. John 
(6) Gorbam was a Professor of chemis¬ 
try at Harvard College in 1816. He was 
born in 1783, end died in 18'29. His chil¬ 
dren were- Julia (7) Gorham, born 1810; 
Dr. John (7) Warren Gorham, born in 
1812, and died in Rhode Island in 1893; 
Hallowoll (7) Gardner Gorham, born in 
1816; and Francis (7) Gorbam born in 
1820. The latter was a Boston broker. 
The Bostonian Society baa a picture of the 
“Old Tremont Club,” “The Koginning of 
the Somerset Club," and 11. Gardner Gor¬ 
bam is one of the group. 

Mercy (3) Gorham, daughterof Lieuten¬ 
ant Colonel John (2) Gorbam and Mary 
Utis, married, in 1717, Hon. Sylvanus 
Bourne, of Barnstable. Their son, .Mele- 
tlab Bourne, m<rried Mary Bayard, a 
niece of Governor Bowdoin. Ho was a 
cousin of Major General Joseph Gorham. 

Many of the letters written by General 
Gorbam to him from 1760 to 1768 are 
among the “Bourne Papers,’’ at Harvard 
College Library. 

Edward (5) (Jorham wastbe'son of Ben¬ 
jamin (1) Gorbam and his wife. Mar}' 
Sturgis, and grcat-grand.son of liiculen- 
ant Colonel John (2) Gorbam and .Mary 
Otis. Edward Gorbam married Abi¬ 
gail Taylor, and tbulr daughter. Desire 
(6) Gorbam, married Captain Daniel C. 
Bacon, of BiruHtablu and Bost'<n. Capt. 
Bacon’s residence In Boston was on the 
corner of Tremont street and luuiple 
place. 

Captain Benjamin (1) Gorham, son of 
Colonel Shubacl (3), married Nancy 
Hinckley. Nov. 28, Lit, and their son. 
Captain lienjamiu (6i Gorham, Jr., mar¬ 
ried Nancy Kneelaiid, Feb. 13, 1809; and 
their son, James (6) L. Gorbam of Jamai¬ 
ca Plain, was the last of the sixth genera¬ 
tion of the Gorbam family. He died 
within a year or two. It was bis grand¬ 
father. Captain Benjamin (4) Gorbam of 
the Brig F'ortune wbo brought the tea 
that was emptied Into Boston dock, 
“March 7, 1771.’’ 

Some years ago .Mr. Walter K. Wat¬ 
kins wrote an article for the Transcript 
entitled “One Cape Cod Homestead.’’ In 
his list of the noted families who were 
descended from Lieutenant Colonel John 
(2) Gorbam and Mary Otis, he included 
Hon. John Gorbam Palfrey, Hon. Charles 
Francis .^dams, Peter C. Brooks, Pro¬ 
fessor Everett and many others. Among 
tho.oe descended from the same ancestors 
wbo made their home in Barnstable are 
Guatavus A. Hinckley, the well-known 
historian of bis native town, and the late 
Major Sylvanus B. Phinuey, who was the 
editor of the Barnslabie Pariot. 

F. W’. 8, 


















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THE 


GORHAM FAMILY 


IN 


CONNECTICUT AND VERMONT. 







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